Close Hemet for a Cuirassier

ca. 1620–30

Not on view

During the seventeenth century, widespread use of firearms and artillery transformed military strategy. In numbers and tactical importance, infantry armed with muskets superseded the fully armored cavalry that had dominated European battlefields for centuries. In response, armor developed into different forms: lighter armor designed for mobility and heavier armor intended to be bulletproof. Alongside firearms, swords remained principal weapons, and were often elaborately decorated as signs of wealth, rank, and social status.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

References

Title: Close Hemet for a Cuirassier
Date: ca. 1620–30
Culture: probably Flemish
Medium: Steel, copper alloy
Dimensions: H. 14 3/8 in. (36.5 cm); W. 10 in (25.4 cm); D. 13 1/8 in. (33.3 cm); Wt. 6 lb. 4 oz. (1928 g)
Classification: Helmets
Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1909
Object Number: 09.167
Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor

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